United States of America

Ray Gilleland, How I Got Into Trucking

 

(Click on photo to enlarge)

In 1970 I met the cutest guy ever, Aubrey.  His dark jet black hair won me over.  That comes from the Cherokee Indian in his grandparents.  We dated a few years and then married.  In 1973 we had our daughter, Karla and in 1975 we had our son, Jay. 

In 1974 my husband decided to attend Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi studying Police Science then in July 1977 we decided to pick up and move to Sorrento, Louisiana so he could become a pipe-fitter.  In Louisiana I was a stay home mom for about a year then I worked in the clerical field before our divorce in January 1985.

After our divorce we both remarried other people but neither of us had other children.  Over the next 6 or so years we both divorced our second spouses.  Then several years of us both being somewhat single, we actually started communicating about the children.  However, I had now moved to Wisconsin and he was back in Mississippi. 

In 1989 Aubrey attended a truck driving school in Missouri and over the years had started stopping in Wisconsin to see the children who were now teenagers.

Then one day in early 1996 we had telephone conversation in which he had called me at work, he could tell I was upset and asked me what was going on.  I told him I loved my job but my boss was impossible some times and it just happened to be one of those times.  ( I had been attending the technical college in Wisconsin on a part-time basis to earn my Human Resources degree.)

To my surprise Aubrey said, "why don't you quit that job and come drive with me over the road?"  And that is just what I did.  After I received my CDL at a technical college in Winona, Minnesota in November 1996.  We teamed for Ashley Furniture out of Arcadia, Wisconsin and 2 1/2 years later became owner operators.  Ironically, I am presently a truck driver instructor at the same technical college in Winona and do still drive part-time with my soul mate, Aubrey.

Oh yes, the best part is Aubrey and I remarried in 1997 and have just celebrated our 11th year this time around.  We are also the proud grandparents of 7 grandchildren and 1 step-grandchild; as well as, proud parents of our two Shih Tzu’s, Clint and Benji.

  

This is my story in a nut shell, a lot of years, the short version.  Hope you enjoy it.

Take care; drive safe, ------------ R. Cathy Conner

 

 

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